After outdoor State title, Rams runners hungry for more

Jon Chik, jchik@bcnnew.com

Published 4:56 pm, Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Great success often breeds great expectations, and New Canaan's boys track team is no exception. In the fall, New Canaan's outdoor track team captured the State Championship, the team's first in 53 years.

And while the spring team will feature a different lineup, the high expectations remain in tact.

"We know the spring season is really different from the winter season because we lose a lot of our better sprinters to lacrosse, so we know that we're going to have to keep working if we want to have any repeat success," New Canaan's Pat Daly said. "We know a lot of it is going to rely on our distance and we're trying to build a stronger sprinting team."

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Daly went on to say that winning the State Championship in the winter was certainly a thrill, but also added that he's looking forward to the challenges of trying to replicate that success in the spring.

"Everyone was happy. We were taking turns holding the trophy and there was a great sense of accomplishment and camaraderie on the team," Daly said. "We had a good indoor season, so we're definitely looking to try and at least repeat some of that. We'll look for another good performance at State's."

Several of the Rams who contributed to the State Championship run in the winter were lost to other spring sports, such as baseball and lacrosse. The coaching staff has been charged with the duties of replacing those runners and figuring out a new lineup for the spring team.

"We're still trying to figure out who's going to do what and what role they'll have," assistant coach Evan Remley said. "Fortunately, we have some good 200 and 400 guys and some outstanding 800 and 1,600 runners, and that helps a lot."

Thus far, New Canaan's spring team has only competed in one meet, having defeated St. Joseph on April 7. Its second meet will be on April 14 against Fairfield Warde and Norwalk at Fairfield Warde High School.

The Rams will have a total of six regular season meets before the postseason starts in the form of the CIAC Class L Championship at Middletown High School on June 2.

New Canaan's opponents in the spring include Darien, Greenwich, Fairfield Ludlowe and Westhill, among others.

Afterthe CIAC competition, the Rams are hoping to send as many as possible to New England's on June 11 to compete in Vermont.

"It was a really successful indoor season, having won the State championship," Remley said. "We're taking it one step at a time, but we'd like to have some of our premier guys qualify for New England's."